Study of Bevacizumab/Doxil in Treatment of Platinum-Resistant/Refractory Ovarian Cancer (CA)

Avastin: Avastin is a humanized monoclonal antibody (a type of protein that is normally made by the immune system to help defend the body from infection and cancer). Avastin has been approved for the treatment of colorectal cancer and lung cancer. Avastin is investigational for the treatment of ovarian cancer and has not been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this use. Avastin is thought to work by attaching to a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to block its action. VEGF plays a role in the formation of both normal and abnormal blood vessels. It is present in normal tissues, but is produced in excess by most solid cancers (tumors). In cancer, VEGF helps blood vessels bring nutrients to tumor cells, allowing the tumor cells to grow. In laboratory studies with human cancer cells grown in animals, Avastin has been shown to prevent or slow the growth of different types of cancer cells by blocking the effects of VEGF. Doxorubicin: Doxorubicin is a type of antibiotic that is only used in cancer chemotherapy. It slows or stops the growth of cancer. Doxorubicin has been approved by the FDA to treat cancers of the head, neck, cervix, vagina, testes, prostate, uterus and Ewing's tumor.